Purpose of Instruction

The purpose of this Departmental Instruction is to provide information about the Pounds Sterling exchange rate variation exercise.

Introduction

Following the recent variation in UK - Australian exchange rates, DVA will apply a new exchange rate for the assessment of the rate of income support pensions for those in receipt of pensions from the UK government.

New exchange rate A$2.3213

The exchange rate used to convert Pounds Sterling to Australian Dollars for income support assessment purposes has changed from one Pound = A$2.3992 to one Pound Sterling equals A$2.3213 (ie A$1 = £0.4308).

This rate reflects the average of the “on demand airmail buying rate” for the two weeks to 21 November 2003.

Date of effect

25 November 2003

Effective from 25 November 2003 the current exchange rate will change.

On pension payday 11 December 2003 (pay period 64) pensioners will receive a full instalment at the new assessed rate.

Date of processing run

Processing to implement the new exchange rate is scheduled for the evening of  Monday, 24 November 2003.

Automatic superannuation processing

The amount recorded as foreign super type British Retirement Income (08) or British Retirement Income (Indexed) will be varied by applying the exchange rate to the pounds sterling amount recorded, to determine the new rate of superannuation in Australian dollars.  The pension amount will then be reassessed automatically.

Manual cases and MS cases

Cases with actions in frozen status will not be processed automatically.  These cases will be listed on the manual listing for follow up action, and CMS/PIPS cases will be created automatically for State Office action.  Any cases processed through PIPS should be reassessed with effect from 25 November 2003 for payday 11 December 2003.

Advice letters

The advice letters for this exercise will be joint advices where both members of a couple are in receipt of pension from the UK government and their pension payment varies.  Age pensioners will receive separate advices.

The letter will advise the new exchange rate and the amount of income.  An advice will only be produced for cases where a variation in payment results.

IBM GSA implications

IBM GSA will produce the cartridge and forward it to Security Mailing services (SMS) in Sydney.

Overseas, Special Register and Enclosure Advices

Overseas, Special Register, Enclosure Advice letters (ie cases where a change to treatment entitlement occurs) and reduction to nil cases will be separated by IBM GSA and despatched to the State Office for manual distribution.  This arrangement is the same as for daily advice letters.

Mail out of bulk advices

Security Mailing will print and prepare the advices for lodgement with Australia Post by 4 December 2003.

British DP case paid Rent Assistance

Income Support pensioners who are in receipt of ISS, age pension (AP) and rent assistance (RA); and, who also receive disability (war) pension direct from Britain (not including EATS or composite cases) should have that disability pension converted to $A using this exchange rate. ISS, AP and RA should be recalculated by doing a PIPS assessment.  These cases can be extracted through AIS by each state.  If you have any questions please contact Nasreen Haque on the number below.

Note: If DP has already been assessed as income in determining hardship cases it should not also be assessed as income for RA.

Notice of future changes

The management of British pensions is currently under review.  A number of proposals to change the policy and procedures will be put to the Income Support Managers Conference on 2-3 December 2003.  Some of the changes that are likely to be implemented in early 2004, include changes to terminology and inclusion of other types of British income.

Contact officer

The Income Support Branch contact officer is:

Nasreen Haque Telephone:   (02) 6289 1125

New Date of Effect Rules

13 July 99

to

9 August 99

0.4271

2.3414

10 August 99

to

1 Nov 99

0.4105

2.4361

2 Nov 99

to

10 Jan 00

0.3952

2.5304

11 Jan 00

to

6 March 00

0.4069

2.4576

7 March 00

to

1 May 00

0.3927

2.5465

2 May 00

to

29 May 00

0.3807

2.6267

30 May 00

to

10 July 00

0.3907

2.5595

11 July 00

to

16 Oct 00

0.4022

2.4863

17 Oct 00

to

2 April 01

0.3737

2.6759

3 April 01

to

14 May 01

0.3550

2.8169

15 May 01

to

23 July 01

0.3674

2.7218

24 July 01

to

6 August 01

0.3803

2.6295

7 August 01

to

1 October 01

0.3701

2.7020

2 October 01

to

29 October 01

0.3430

2.9155

30 October 01

to

10 December 01

0.3588

2.7871

11 December 01

to

7 January 02

0.3709

2.6961

8 January 02

to

18 March 02

0.3612

2.7685

19 March 02

to

27 May 02

0.3723

2.6860

28 May 02

to

10 June 02

0.3830

2.6110

11 June 02

to

08 July 02

0.3928

2.5258

09 July 02

to

22 July 02

0.3758

2.6610

23 July 02

to

05 August 02

0.3643

2.7450

06 August 02

to

02 September 02

0.3503

2.8547

03 September 02

to

03 March 03

0.3620

2.7624

04 March 03

to

28 April 03

0.3816

2.6205

29 April 03

to

26 May 03

0.3929

2.5452

27 May 03

to

1 September 03

0.4064

2.4606

2 September 03

to

24 November 03

0.4168

2.3992

25 November 03

to

0.4308

2.3213